Thunder and Lightning
by Indian Summer 2378
Summary: A stroll through San Francisco holds some surprises for Kathryn Janeway. A fluffy, post-Endgame puppy story. J/C


**What's this with our beloved captain and thunderstorms, I wondered and this happened.**

 **Thanks, KJaneway115, for your help!**

 **No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

Kathryn left her building in the heart of San Francisco. Instantly, a salty breeze greeted her and she smiled with delight as she breathed deeply, inhaling the fresh air from the ocean. It was the first day of her extended leave and she wanted to spend it walking through the city that was her home.

With a spring in her step, she started her stroll.

The city was busy, people were filling the streets, running errands or going about their daily business, and Kathryn loved the fact that she could just be an observer, that she didn't have to be somewhere, and, like a dry sponge that had been thrown in a bathtub full of water, and she took everything in.

To really be in San Francisco was still overwhelming for her. While they were in the Delta Quadrant, she often imagined walking through the familiar streets. It had been a safe harbor, a refuge, where she could forget her burden for a while and just be herself, and she wanted to feel that feeling today.

Shortly, she decided to walk to the pier. As a cadet, she had spent many blissful hours there, and she wanted to see the bay, feel the breeze on her skin, see birds flying in the wind, and maybe even some sea lions.

Knowing the city by heart, she turned around the next corner but stopped and frowned, confused. This part of the city didn't look the way she remembered it. There were new buildings, new plants and trees lining the streets.

She shook her head and walked on. She knew the city had taken some damage during the Breen attack but she didn't want anything to put a damper on her mood. She would memorize the new things while she walked, getting to know her home anew.

She passed a coffee shop and sat down to drink a cup of coffee and eat a slice of a cake. With a happy smile, she greeted anyone who greeted her and when she was finished, she walked on.

After a couple more corners, her happiness drained away. This part of the city seemed to have changed significantly and she had lost her orientation. Raising her head, she tried to catch a glimpse of any of the skyscrapers with which she could mark her position, but she couldn't see one. It seemed as there was nothing familiar anymore.

Sad, her shoulders slumped and she decided to walk back home. The day hadn't turned out the way she expected it to.

To not get lost, she wanted to walk back the exact same way which she'd come, but she must have taken a wrong turn somewhere and suddenly she didn't know where she was and where to go. Humiliated, she realized that she, Captain Janeway, who brought her crew home from the Delta Quadrant, had to ask for the way in her own hometown.

Her wish to get home as fast as she could was stronger than her embarrassment, so she asked a passing woman for the way to the nearest transporter station. Politely, the woman explained the way and Kathryn thanked her and walked in the given direction.

Her way led her through a park that, she was sure, hadn't been there eight years ago. Her head hung, and her eyes were riveted to the path in front of her and she wouldn't have noticed dark clouds rising if the wind hadn't suddenly blown in her face, causing her to look up. The clouds were right above her and almost instantly huge raindrops started to fall. How fitting, she thought, and pulled her jacket tighter around her body.

Not bothering to look for shelter, she walked on. Soon she was soaking wet, and the raindrops mingled with tears on her face. She thought of suppressing them or wiping them away, but then she realized that she didn't have to suppress her feelings any longer. She was free, and in the rain nobody would see the tears anyway.

She sat down on a bench and closed her eyes, feeling the rain pouring down her face, and she didn't know how long she had been sitting there when she felt a pressure against her leg. Opening her eyes, she gasped. A small, brown, wet and dirty puppy sat beside her, looking at her with pleading eyes.

"Hello you," Kathryn greeted the apparently lost little dog. "What are you doing out here all by yourself?"

The puppy snuggled tight against her and Kathryn noticed how much it shivered. "Oh you're freezing," she said and, reaching out carefully, she tested if the puppy would allow her to touch it. The puppy wasn't frightened at all, though, and Kathryn could pick it up easily.

"You're a girl, huh," she said, holding the wet dog against her chest, and when a tiny tongue licked raindrops and tears from her chin Kathryn started laughing.

"So who do you belong to?" she asked and rose. "Come, we need to find your home."

The puppy was still shivering so Kathryn put her under her jacket and tight against her body.

For a while they walked through the park but nobody was out in the rain. If she couldn't find her owner she wouldn't mind keeping the puppy, Kathryn thought. She loved dogs and she would like having one around. But first, she had to exhaust every possibility of finding the respective owner.

There was none, though, and it was getting dark and Kathryn was about to give up and walk to the transporter station to come back tomorrow morning when she heard a voice through the rain.

"Willow!" Somebody yelled and the puppy in her arms began to squirm as it obviously recognized the voice. "Willow!"

Kathryn walked towards the voice and the puppy began to whine and bark as the voice came closer.

"Willow!"

Kathryn saw a male figure approaching and before she knew it the puppy jumped to the ground and ran towards the man.

"There you are," the man bent down and greeted the excited dog.

Kathryn was about to say hello when her voice died in her throat. "Chakotay," she choked out.

He looked up. "Kathryn." The surprise was written all over his face. "What are you doing here?"

"I guess I found your dog," she stated.

"Yeah, thank you." He put the collar and leash on and stood up. "Willow wanted to take a walk on her own."

Kathryn found the strength to smile. "I could see that."

They looked at each other and an awkward silence arose as neither knew what to say.

"I have to go," Kathryn said finally, reluctantly, pointing in the opposite direction.

"It was good to see you, Kathryn."

She laid her head to the side and smiled. "Yes, you too."

Giving him a nod, she walked away.

Chakotay watched her leaving before he addressed his dog. "Come, we need to get home."

Willow cocked her head and looked at Kathryn's vanishing figure.

"She can take care of herself," he told her. "Come."

Chakotay started to walk but Willow remained still. "Come, Willow." He tugged at the leash. "Willow," he stopped and turned to his dog. " _Come_."

Willow seemed to have another idea and dropped her head and started to walk backwards.

"Willow, stop it."

With a skilled shake of her head Willow got rid of the collar and ran after Kathryn.

"Willow!" Chakotay shouted and ran after his dog.

Kathryn heard Willow's barking and Chakotay's shouting. She turned and saw both coming in her direction. The little dog finally reached her and jumped with muddy paws against her leg. Kathryn couldn't help but chuckle as Chakotay stopped out of breath next to her.

"Out of exercise, Commander?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.

He shot her a glance. "This dog is incorrigible," he said. "Oh, Kathryn. I'm sorry," he said as he saw the paw prints at her pants.

"Don't worry," she shrugged. "My clothes need to get cleaned anyway."

He looked at her, soaking wet and dirty, and he didn't know who smelled more like wet dog, Willow or Kathryn. "Do you want to come with us?" he asked.

"I don't want to make any trouble."

"You don't make trouble. Now come, before we all catch a cold." He saw her hesitating. "I have a bathtub," he winked.

A small smile emerged on her lips and she nodded, convinced. "Okay."

He returned her smile and they fell into an easy step side by side.

After a few steps, Chakotay smirked to himself. Willow appeared to be head over paws in love with Kathryn as she followed her, well-behaved, even without a leash.

Beside him, Kathryn realized that she hadn't visited Chakotay in his new home yet and she was glad that she had the opportunity now. They had spent too much time apart since their return from the Delta Quadrant and she already felt him lighten her spirits by nothing but walking next to her.

They turned in a street next to the park and Chakotay stopped in front of his home. "Here we are."

"It's lovely, Chakotay," she said as she took a look at the town house.

"Thank you."

He opened the door and picked Willow up. "The bathtub is in the main bathroom upstairs. Towels are in the shelf. You can refresh your clothes or replicate new ones. I will take this little girl and clean her up."

Kathryn's eyes sparkled at the prospect of a nice, hot bubble bath and she nodded at him and walked upstairs.

When she was finished she found him in the living room. "Hi," she said, lingering in the doorway.

"Hi," he smiled.

"I replicated some comfortable clothes," she said, running her hands down her waist. "I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," he assured her. "Come on in. I made dinner."

"Oh, that's great," she said, walking into the sparse furnished room. "I'm famished."

"I'm sorry that I don't have a proper table yet," he apologized with a gesture at his coffee table.

"I like it that way."

She took a pillow from the couch and made it herself comfortable on the floor.

He shook his head, amused, and smiled inwardly. He never thought that Kathryn Janeway would ever sit on his living room floor, obviously enjoying herself.

He sat down on the couch and they began to eat while the rain pattered down and the wind rattled at the house, making the atmosphere inside even more warm and cozy.

At some point, Willow came in and lay down beside Kathryn.

"She has stopped shaking," Kathryn observed and stroke Willow's velvet fur.

"Yes, she had a nice bath in the shower."

Kathryn smiled affectionately at the puppy and scratched the little dog behind the ears. Grunting with pleasure, Willow laid her head on Kathryn's leg.

"She's adorable."

"She's a handful."

"I can imagine," she chuckled and patted Willow's head. "Does she take a walk all by herself often?"

"Yes, she does."

"You should use a harness rather than a collar. She can't get rid of that."

"Thanks," he said, genuinely grateful. "I'll try that."

"You'll learn from experience," Kathryn said and took a bite of her food.

"You always had a dog, didn't you?" he asked, taking a bite too, and watched how Willow turned around, asking Kathryn to rub her belly.

Happily, Kathryn started. "Yes, from the very beginning."

"I never had a dog."

"Why do you have one now?"

"My sister thought I could use the company."

"And why did you name her 'Willow'?"

He smiled. "Look at her. She's very intelligent. She's a thinker."

Kathryn smirked. "That doesn't explain why you named her Willow."

He looked sheepishly to his feet. "I had a good friend who used to think under a willow tree."

Kathryn looked at him with bright eyes. "It's a lovely idea. Thank you."

He looked at her, still sheepish. "You're welcome."

"And she is very intelligent. She found me."

Just as Chakotay opened his mouth a bolt of lightning lit the room. Kathryn jumped up and before Chakotay had the chance to react she was sitting in his lap, hiding her face in his chest.

"Kathryn?" he asked perplexed. "Is everything okay?"

She shook her head. "I hate thunderstorms," she admitted with a trembling voice.

Chakotay suppressed the urge to chuckle. "There's nothing to be afraid of." He laid his arms around her, caressing her back, soothing her.

As thunder rolled over the house Kathryn jerked. "Oh, I really hate this," she murmured in his chest.

"It's all right."

"It's embarrassing."

"It's not."

"I'm sitting on your lap and you soothe me like I'm a three year old."

"You're scared. Everyone is scared of something."

She made a disgusting sound. "Are you?"

"Not of thunderstorms."

"But?" She felt his body tensing and looked at him. "Chakotay?"

"I'm afraid of losing my best friend," he admitted quietly.

"Oh, Chakotay, you'll never lose her."

He smiled a small, relieved smile but was still tensed. "There's another thing I'm afraid of."

"What's that?"

"I'm afraid of her reaction when I tell her that I love her."

She opened her mouth to gasp but none came. "What did you imagine her reaction would be?" she asked softly when the initial shock had subsided.

"I imagined various scenarios."

"Such as?"

He inhaled deeply. "That she tilts her head to one side, looking at me like I'm ridiculous. That she laughs at me. That she brushes me off…"

"These are very sad scenarios. Didn't you ever imagine a happy outcome?"

"Not often."

She shifted in his lap. "Well, if my best friend would tell me he loves me, I would be surprised but when his words really came to me, my eyes would tear up and I would start smiling. Then I would take his face into my hands, brush my thumbs over his cheeks and tell him that I love him too."

He was speechless. Stunned, he stared at the woman in his arms.

"You know that you are my best friend?" he said, his voice thick with emotions.

"Yes."

"I love you, Kathryn."

She smiled brightly and, with tears in her eyes, she reached out, taking his face into her delicate hands, brushing over his cheeks with her thumbs. "I love you, too," she whispered.

Slowly, she closed the space between them, but right before their lips were about to touch for the first time a second clap of thunder rolled over the house and Kathryn jolted back, startled.

"Now I hate thunderstorms even more!" she exclaimed, the moment gone.

He laughed out loud and tucked her head under his chin. "I have to say that I like them," he smirked, holding her close and she slapped his arm playfully. "…even though you scared my dog to death."

"I'm sorry."

He looked over his shoulder to see Willow sitting beside the table, watching them. "She'll get over it. She loves you already."

"I love her too." She raised her head and smiled at him. "And I love you."

He returned her smile and, taking in her beloved face, he tenderly tucked a lost strain of hair behind her ear. Not able to resist any longer, he leaned into her and kissed her tentatively. She responded immediately and the kiss deepened quickly.

Caught in the sensation of the kiss and the feeling of his strong arms around her, she didn't notice any more thunder or lightning.

 _The End_


End file.
